Synopsis: A recently installed X-ray diffraction facility that is integrated with existing nuclear resonant scattering set-ups at Sector 3 of the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory is introduced. Its applications for measuring the sound velocities of compressed Fe3C are reported.

Development of an energy-domain 57Fe-Mössbauer spectrometer using synchrotron radiation and its application to ultrahigh-pressure studies with a diamond anvil cell

Synopsis: The principle and development of a new synchrotron radiation 57Fe-Mössbauer spectrometer using a variable-frequency nuclear monochromator are introduced. As a great advantage for high-pressure studies with a diamond anvil cell, the developed spectrometer makes it possible to perform high-pressure 57Fe-Mössbauer spectroscopy in the multimegabar range.

X-ray magnetic spectroscopy at high pressure: performance of SPring-8 BL39XU

Synopsis: X-ray magnetic spectroscopy under multiple extreme conditions is available at SPring-8 BL39XU. The beamline performance, including the optics and instruments for high pressure, and two topics for high-pressure study are introduced.

Portable laser-heating system for diamond anvil cells

Synopsis: A portable laser-heating system for DACs has been developed which can be moved between various analytical facilities, including transfer from in-house to a synchrotron or between synchrotron beamlines. Application of the system is demonstrated in an example of nuclear inelastic scattering measurements of ferropericlase and h.c.p.-Fe0.9Ni0.1 alloy, and X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy of majorite at high pressures and temperatures.

A combination of a Drickamer anvil apparatus and monochromatic X-rays for stress and strain measurements under high pressure

Synopsis: A modified Drickamer anvil apparatus has been developed to combine with monochromatic synchrotron radiation for high-pressure X-ray diffraction and radiography in the GSECARS bending-magnet station, 13-BM-D, at the Advanced Photon Source, Argonne, USA.

In situ rheological measurements at extreme pressure and temperature using synchrotron X-ray diffraction and radiography

Synopsis: This contribution reviews and describes state-of-the-art extreme-pressure deformation devices coupled with synchrotron radiation, and corresponding analytical techniques, as well as recent applications for the study of materials plastic properties at extreme conditions.

Stress measurement under high pressure using Kawai-type multi-anvil apparatus combined with synchrotron radiation

Synopsis: A system has been developed for stress measurement under high pressure using Kawai-type multi-anvil apparatus combined with synchrotron radiation. The capacity of the system was demonstrated using a KCl sample to 10 GPa.

Use of a hexapod in diffraction measurements of substrate-supported crystals of organic semiconductors

Synopsis: The use of a hexapod in X-ray diffraction measurements of substrate-supported TIPS-pentacene crystals has been demonstrated to determine the lattice constants and the local orientation of the crystals.

Individual GaAs nanorods imaged by coherent X-ray diffraction

Synopsis: Using a nanofocused X-ray beam, GaAs nanorods grown in a periodic array are identified and individually characterized with the help of coherent diffraction. Rods grown in the centre and at the edge of the array show differences in shape and strain state.

Synchrotron study of oxygen depletion in a Bi-2212 whisker annealed at 363 K

Synopsis: Correlation between the structural and electronic properties of a single Bi-2212 superconducting whisker was obtained by a combined microdiffraction and resistivity versusT experiment during a three-step annealing process at 363 K. The observed changes, in both properties, are due to an oxygen depletion process taking place at mild temperatures.

Synopsis: Consolidated mixtures of different Al and Ti powders were heated undergoing in situ analysis by means of high-energy X-ray diffraction and Rietveld analysis. The evolution of the intermetallic phases of the Ti-Al system as well as occurring Ti-H is followed by quantitative phase analysis while much further details are revealed by consideration of the lattice parameters.

DISCO: a low-energy multipurpose beamline at synchrotron SOLEIL

Synopsis: The design and first performance of a new low-energy beamline at synchrotron SOLEIL are reported. The energy selection and conservation of the polarization are explained. The beam propagation and conditioning are detailed.

New agitated and thermostatized cell for in situ monitoring of fast reactions by synchrotron SAXS

Synopsis: The development of a thermostatized and agitated sample cell for synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering measurements of liquid samples (homogeneous or heterogeneous) is presented. The set-up enables the in situ monitoring of fast chemical reactions, such as emulsion polymerization reactions.

Synopsis: EDNA is a software framework for developing extensible scientific applications especially in the X-ray experiments field. This article describes the framework as well as a prototype application designed for macromolecular crystallography experiments.